Dr. Bert Coffer of Raleigh, who died last week, was one of the finest people I ever met in politics.

I feel that way even though Bert was one of Jesse Helms’ best friends and strongest supporters.

I got to know Bert working on a health-care issue several years ago.

He was a friendly, unassuming man. But he was direct and tough as nails. When he promised to do something, he did it. There aren’t many people in politics you can say that about.

He was a doctor first and foremost, an anesthesiologist. But he understood what was happening in health care better than most doctors – and how politics was changing health care. That’s why he got involved.

One fellow doctor told him, “I’m not interested in politics.” Bert shot back, “Well, politics is interested in you.”

Bert gave a lot of his time and money to affect how politics affected health care.

I admired that, and I came to admire him as a man. When my father had to have surgery near the end of his life, I asked Bert to be his anesthesiologist.

I can pay him no higher compliment.

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